This was our 44th cruise. We had previously sailed on the Maasdam 18 years ago. The Koningsdam's emphasis on music is what caused us to choose this sailing. We felt that Hal's new emphasis on entertainment that appeals to a younger crowd, plus a newer ship, would make this cruise a good choice for us. We are eclectic cruisers. Last year we sailed on Seabourn for 12-days in the Caribbean and 7-days on an NCL Bermuda cruise from Boston with friends. We were not impressed with Seabourn's food and service. Our expectations for the NCL were very low. We were shocked to find the dining service and food quality on NCL was up-to-par, if not better, than Seabourn.

Embarkation and Disembarkation were flawless. We arrived at the pier around 10:40am and were onboard at 11:30am. We were pleasantly surprised to be informed upon entering the Koningsdam that all staterooms were ready. Our stateroom was 8197, an aft facing verandah with a very large deck. It was a shame to have one tiny table, two upright chairs and just one foot rest. Our room stewardess, who was amazing, found us an extra table to allow us some more room to put our feet up.

We knew the Lido would be jammed at lunch, so we opted to have lunch in the Main Dining Room (MDR). Lunch was lovely. The service was prompt and the food was delicious. One huge negative for me was that we were seated in a corner and all I had to look at was a solid white panel. Those panels should be replaced with art as they block the window views. The MDR décor was rather plain. The yellow wall color did not add to the room and the white panels were boring. After lunch, we spent the rest of the day exploring the ship. We thought the ship décor overall was very relaxing. Read more